Sleeping-car berth.



A. WEST. SLEEPING APPLICATION FILED 00w. 241

GAR BERTH.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.-

4 SHIIIETg-SHBBT l.

// Ill/[[774 A. WEST.

SLEEPING GAR BBRTH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28, 1908. 938,929. Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. WEST.

SLEEPING OAR BERTH. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28 1908.

938,929. Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

4 SHEETSSHBET 3.

I A.v WEST. SLEEPING GAR BERTH, APPLICATION Hum 001'. 28/1908.

Patented Nov. 2 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR WEST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

SLEEPING-GAR BERTH.

Patented NovfZ, 1909.

Application filed October 28, 1908. Serial No. 459,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WEST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeping-Car Berths, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in sleepingcar berths, and the object of my invention is to provide a berth whichwill greatly add to the comforts of the occupant and one in which theupper berth occupies less space, whereby more air is obtained in the carthan is possible under present arrangement.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in certainconstructions, combinations and arrangements of parts the preferred formof which will be first described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and then the inventionparticularly pointed out in the appendedclaims. Referring to the drawings wherein the same part is designated bythe same reference numeral wherever it occurs, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a berth constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2is a detail sectional view taken on line 2, 2, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is anunder side perspective view of a pair of the cushions; Fig. 4 is a viewshowing a form of supporting the inner pair of cushions when extended;Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing such form of support; Fig. 6is a bottom plan view of the cushion shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is asection through said cushion and its support; Fig. 8 is a plan view ofthe form of sheet used in my invention; Fig. 9 is a plan view of themattress; Fig. 10 is a detail view of the hinge construction between thetwo portions of the mattress; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the frameof the upper berth when open, and Fig. 12 is a central section thereof.1 designates the outer side supports of the berth, and 2, 3 a pair ofcushions hinged together by means of a hinge 4, whereby they can bearranged either at right angles, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4; outflat as shown in Fig. 1, or at any intermediate angle as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 4.

The cushion 3 which forms the bottom of the seat is preferably providedon its under side with the inwardly projecting'strips 5, 5 at oppositesides thereof, which engage the under side of the cleats 6, 6, securedto the frame of the berth, whereby the bottom seat may be slid forwardand back, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Preferably I provide the hinge 4 with a spring 7, the spring tending byits tension to straighten out the seats to the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 1.

In order to provide means for supporting the bottom cushion of the seatswhen they arepartly drawn out as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, Ipivot on the front of the frame beneath each of the seats a bracket 8which at its outer end is provided with an upwardly projecting pin 9extending into a segmental slot 10 formed in a strip of metal secured tothe under side of the cushion, as best shown in Fig. 6. By thisconstruction, as the cushion 3 is slid on its support the bracket willbe drawn outand returned to place, so that when the seat is partlyextended its outer end will be securely supported. Vhen the seats arefully extended to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, they aresupported by the edge of the opposite seat.

It is to be understood that the cushions of the opposite seat may not beconstructed as above described, as ordinary removable cushions may beused and when it is desired they may be taken out, the other set ofcushions substituted and the removable cushions put in the other seat.

The form of mattress which I use in connection with my berth is shown inFigs. 9 and 10 and is designated 11. From this view it will be seen thatthe mattress is provided on one edge with a section 12 corresponding inshape and size to the cushion 3, and this section 12 is so located inthe mattress as to rest on said cushion when the mattress is inposition. The section 12 is hinged to the mattress at 13 (see Figs. 9and 10), and 14 are a pair of straps, preferably elastic, which connecttogether the edges of the mattress opposite the hinge.

In Fig. 8 I show a form of sheet which should be used with my mattress,said sheet being preferably provided on its edges with button holes 15adapted to button over buttons 16 on the sides of the mattress. Thissheet is composed of two sections 17 and 18 which are of the shape shownin Fig. 8 and are stitched together at 19. From the shape of these twosections it will be seen that the section 18 has three flaps 20 whichare adapted to surround the section 12 of the mattress and be buttonedto the under side edges of the main mattress section adjacent thesection 12. From this construction it will be seen that when a persondesires to retire he can raise up the cushion 3 on the side of the berthadjacent the aisle and this will lift up the section 12 of the mattressand give the person a space within his berth where he can stand anddisrobe without the necessitv of having his feet project into the aisleor sit on top of his berth as is now necessary in all sleeping cars.After the person occupying the berth has disrobed he can let down thesection 3 and thus complete his berth.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I show the form of upper berth which I prefer to use.As there shown the upper berth consists of a bottom portion 23 hinged at24 to the side of the I car and 25 are arms pivoted to the side of thecar and the bottom 23, the arms being hinged together at 26 whereby theywill support the outer edge of the bottom when let down and will fold,as indicated in dotted lines, when the berth is closed. 27 are a pair ofdoors which are hinged to the sides of the car at 28 and which form theends of the berth when the same is opened and cover the bottom 23 whenthe berth is closed. From this construction it will be seen that theupper berth when closed rests flat against the side of the car and isvertical, consequently increasing the space inside the car withoutincreasing the size of the car.

I realize that considerable variation is pos sible in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritof my invention, and I therefore do not intend to limit myself to thespecific form shown and described.

I claim I 1. In a berth for sleeping cars and the like, the combinationwith a pair of oppositely disposed seats, one of said seats beingprovided with two pairs of cushions, the cushions of each pair beinghinged together, said cushions being adapted to be placed in horizontalrelations to form a berth, said parts being so constructed and arrangedthat one of said cushions may be turned on its hinge to form a spaceless than the width of the seats within which the occupant of the berthmay stand.

2. In a berth for sleeping cars and the like, the combination with apair of oppositely disposed seats, one of said seats being provided withtwo pairs of cushions, the cushions of each pair being hinged together,said cushions being adapted to be placed in horizontal relations to forma berth, said parts being so constructed and arranged thatone of saidcushions may be turned on its hinge to form a space less than the widthof the seats within which the occupant of the berth may stand, amattress adapted to be placed over the cushions, said mattress beingprovided with a hinged section corresponding with said last mentionedcushion.

3. In a berth for sleeping cars and the like, the combination with aplurality of cushions adapted to be placed in horizontal relation, of amattress adapted to be placed over the cushion, one of said cushionsbeing adapted to be raised and said mattress being provided with a hingesection corresponding to the last mentioned cushion, and a sheet formedof two sections, one of which is secured to the body of the mattressand. the other to the hinge section.

4. In a. berth for sleeping cars and the like, the combination with apair of oppoit sitely disposed seats, one of said seats being providedwith two pairs of cushions, the cushions of each pair being hingedtogether at their adjacent edges, supports for one of the cushions ofeach palr, means permitting ARTHUR WVES'I.

Vitnesses GUsTAv NOTHDURFT, F. RYAN.

